Many Problems With Sleep Apnea

I applaud Leslie Mann's article on sleep apnea, "The vicious cycle: Sleep loss can lead to diabetes and vice versa", published on Nov. 5, for bringing an important health issue to the public's attention. It was a nice article but it failed to mention that there are many other problems associated with obstructive sleep apnea, including coronary artery disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, increased motor vehicle accidents, sleepiness, impaired quality of life and increased mortality -- not to mention that snoring has annoyed many bed partners.

Losing weight and CPAP are both good alternatives; however, people should be aware that dentists can provide a custom oral appliance that is designed to open a patient's airway. The Academy of Sleep Medicine's Practice Parameters state that oral appliances provided by appropriately trained dentists are an alternative to CPAPs for patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea and for any patient who cannot tolerate a CPAP.

There are many active groups of dentists studying sleep-related problems, including members of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. In general, physicians and dentists work together to diagnose and treat these patients in the best manner possible.